1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dreadful hurricane
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awful
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
a dreadful performance of a beautiful piece of music
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3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
dreadful news of a crime wave in the neighborhood
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4
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the dreadful heat of the desert
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5
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
made a dreadful mess of his first marriage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dreadful
The scale of the boarding school system, Pember observes, means almost no Native family is untouched by its dreadful legacy.
—
Charles Arrowsmith, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Actor Tim Blake Nelson, who wrote, directed, and stars in Leaves of Grass, deserved better than its middling reviews and dreadful box-office performance.
—Barry Levitt, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
So, with each team having played at least eight games, there is no time like the present to jump to ridiculous conclusions and assess players who have gotten off to what may be viewed as dreadful starts.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Those of us who have lived in countries terrorized by a secret police force can’t shake a feeling of dreadful familiarity.
—M. Gessen, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Charles Arrowsmith, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Actor Tim Blake Nelson, who wrote, directed, and stars in Leaves of Grass, deserved better than its middling reviews and dreadful box-office performance.
—Barry Levitt, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
So, with each team having played at least eight games, there is no time like the present to jump to ridiculous conclusions and assess players who have gotten off to what may be viewed as dreadful starts.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Those of us who have lived in countries terrorized by a secret police force can’t shake a feeling of dreadful familiarity.
—M. Gessen, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
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The teaser trailer showcases the epic highs and lows of professional football, with a focus on the lows, as all of this looks terrifying.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
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But despite the terrifying name, giant viruses aren’t necessarily any more dangerous than a standard-sized species.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City Before the turn of the year, Manchester City were stuck in an awful rut.—
Sam Tighe,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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The grandson of the benefactor whose maiden name christens the auditorium itself (The Fish Theater, which spawns a stream of awful fish puns as long as a whale), Jack was born into ballet and defends dance with every fiber of his being.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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These types of horrific events by terrorists are why those of us who work for peace and stability in the world continue our mission.—
Danielle Wallace,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Of course, some eight hundred thousand did die—many in horrific ways—while the formerly enslaved were left to fend for themselves in a postwar state where apartheid was enforced by terror.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Whether singing a cappella or accompanied by her guitar to hundreds or thousands of people − at a small venue or an awards show − Lafourcade's performances feel visceral, intense and intimate all at once.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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In place of intense (and potentially irritating) acids, Mediheal's Madecassoside Blemish Pads target breakouts and breakout-causing bacteria with anti-inflammatory powerhouses madecassoside and cica.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Teams from outside England also seem to struggle with Arsenal’s sheer athleticism — certainly Real Madrid struggled to keep pace with their physical output in the quarter-final.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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The sheer volume of potential solutions in the consideration set has caused a bit of AI paralysis.—
Tim Houlne,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Wade has been in a horrible slump since the season started and going in to Saturday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels is hitting .096 (5-for-52) with a homer, seven RBIs, eight walks and an on base percentage of .213.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
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The Braves desperately need to add a shortstop and some offensive help amid their horrible start to the season.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The biggest storyline in the series, however, has been all of the ugly hits and bad blood between the two state rivals.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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The Heat finished with an ugly 12-34 record against opponents that finished this regular season with a .500 record or better.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Surely Yellowstone, with its large predators and geothermal activity will deliver something gruesome.—
Wes Siler,
Outside Online,
19 Apr. 2025
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Realizing that the price of Remmick's offer is their souls, the living make a desperate last stand that results in the gruesome deaths of everyone but Smoke and Sammie.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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